Price Lechleiter: Addressing key issues will keep Nashville vibrant

Dec. 27, 2013

Written by

Price Lechleiter

For The Tennessean

Whether it was from your car radio, speakers in the mall or your iTunes playlist, I can guarantee at some point this month you’ve heard “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays.” Thanks to a great year of home sales, many more people in Middle Tennessee are experiencing just that this year.

By now, some of us have seen family members return to school or where they live in other towns, and thoughts have begun to turn to what is ahead in the coming year. We are looking forward with great anticipation to the new opportunities and challenges of 2014.

As I look forward to next year, there are several key items, issues and initiatives that come to mind that provide great opportunity for Greater Nashville and Middle Tennessee. How we address these issues as a community will have a significant impact on our future beyond just 2014.

First is public education. There is much being said, from a number of perspectives, about the use of resources, charter schools and much more. Finding real answers for the improvement of public education, with short-term progress and long-term continuous improvement, is one of the most, if not the most, important issues for us to address.

Second is transit. We will want to come up with real answers as we plan our growth and development to keep traffic congestion from becoming an even larger problem for mobility and the environment. Much work has been done, including the recently revealed regional plan from the Metro Planning Organization. However, there is much more to do. Real steps are needed sooner rather than later.

Infill is another key topic. Increasing density is something that needs to be understood, correctly planned and properly implemented. Active discussion among neighbors, developers and planners is needed and a path forward for all of us set in motion.

Community dialogue is critical for all of these issues, and many more. That is why I am excited about the NashvilleNext initiative. It provides the opportunity for everyone to provide input and help design the future we want for our city and region. If you are already engaged in the NashvilleNext effort, congratulations! If not, visit the website, attend some meetings and participate with others in our community to help determine how we will grow and prosper for the next 25 years.

Join me in making 2014 a great year in which we find answers that keep Nashville growing, vibrant and even more attractive in the years to come.

Price Lechleiter is president of the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors. Contact him at 615-347-4688 or pricel@realtracs.com.